Sheet-glass-producing apparatus



July 24, 1.928.

1,678,060 J. L. DRAKE SHEET GLASS PRODUCING APPARATUS Filed June 21, 1926 mqM Patented July 24, 1928. I

UNITED STATES JOHN .L. DRAKE,

COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO,

OI TOLEDO, OHIOASSIGNOR [DO-THE LIBBEY-OWENS SHEET GLASS A conronarron or onto.

SHEET-GLASS-BBODUCING arrana'rus.

Application filed June 21,

The present invention relates to an improved process and apparatus for producing gins to take form until it has become finally set. Another object of the invention is to pro-' vide an improved process and apparatus for producing sheet glass wherein a sheet is continuously produced from a mass of molten glass, the apparatus including a plurality of rotatable surfaces so driven that the peripheral speeds of the moving parts become progressively faster from the point of formation of said sheet.

A still further object of the inventlon 1s to provide an apparatus of this nature wherein a positively driven roll is arranged above a mass of molten glass, the roll being so operated that a sheet of glass may be continuously drawn from said molten mass and deflected thereover, the apparatus ineluding a supplementary roll or rolls, a flattening member and'an annealing leer, the

speed of the surface of the flattemng table being relatively faster than the peripheral speed of the drawing and deflecting roll, while the peripheral speed of the rolls in said leer is faster than the speed of the fiat- 'tening member.

Other objects and advantages 'of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings wherein like numeralsare employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a sheet producing apparatus, including .a portion of the leer, and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the outlet portion of the leer, and a cutting table.

The diagrammatic representations in Figs. 1 and 2 represent an improved form of apparatus as set forth in Colburn Patent No. 1,248,809, granted December 4, 1917, but it is to be understood that the same invention can be applied equally as well to any of the other vell known types of machines.

In the Colburn machine a sheet 5, desig- 1926. Serial 1%. 117,280.

nated in Fig. 1, is continuously drawn from a mass of molten glass 6, the sheet being held to width by means of rotatable knurled rolls 7. The numeral 8 designates-a rotatable roll arranged above the mass of molten glass 6 and over which the sheet 5 is adapted to be deflected from a vertical plane to a horizontal plane. a After the sheet has been deflected over the member 8 it passes over a so-called idler roll 9 and draw table 10. The draw table 10 ordinarily comprises a plurality of links coupled together in an endless belt formation, being driven bymeans of the drums 11. The draw table 10 in its upper horizontal run is dragged over draw table rails 12,- while the lower run of-the belt is trained about an idler or tightening member 13.. A plurality of clamp bars are connected in an endless belt formatioh, .as indicated by the numeral 14, being supportgfl and driven by means of the drums or sprockets 15. The clamp bars are so constructed that they engage the edges of the sheet produced by the knurled rolls 7, clamping the sheet edges between. the draw table 10 and theclamp bars. The sheet then passes through an annealing leer, being supported upon the rotatable rolls 16, the sheet issuing from the leer upon a cutting table 17.

In the operation of the Colburn machine heretofore, the bending roll 8 has been permitted to idle in its bearings so that it is driven by reason of frictional contact with v the sheet 5. The drawing force has been exerted heretofore by the draw table 10, which also serves as a flattening table.

In the present invention the apparatus just described is operated in a different manner. In accordance with my new application, the bending roll 8 is provided with a 95 suitable drive gear 18 which is indicated diagrammatically, and may be positively driven by a gear 19 or any other suitable means. By positively driving the bending member 8 the speed of draw from the molten glass 6 will be dependent upon the peripheral speed of said bending roll. The bending roll presents a uniform surface so that a uniform drawing force will be applied to the sheet being formed. It is to be understood that the height of the bending mem-' her 8 may vary as desired. The second roll 9 is also positively driven and is so geared that the peripheral speed thereof is slightly greater than the peripheral speed ofthe 110 present case usedas that the both act as drawing means, al-' spirit of the invention or the scope of the sub'oined claims. 1

, 1. In sheet molten glass,

the peripheral speed of the roll8, places the sheet 5 s -sionso that there will be no tendency for eral speed of the roll 9.

said parts will not harm the surface of the molten glass,

bending member,'which, in the present case, also acts as a drawing member. The peripheral speed of the roll 9 being greater than tively slower than the flattenin memberso that the said sheet of glass will be under tension; v

3. In sheet glass apparatus, a container for amass of molten. glass," a. positively driven roll arranged thereabove, said roll being adapted for continuously drawing a sheet upwardly from said mass of glass and for deflecting the same into a substantially oriz'ontal plane, a flattening table for said sheet, and means for moving the flattening table at a relatively faster'speed than the speed of said roll. j I

4. In sheet glass apparatus, a drawing roll, a flattening member, and an annealing leer including a plurality of supportinga members, and means for driving said draw- As is clearlyshown in a diagrammatic ingroll and flattenin and supporting memmanner, the leer rolls 16 are positively .bers in a manner that the.surface speed riven as by means of gears 20 cooperatin thereof becomes relatively faster from said with the gears 21, carried b the end of said drawing roll on. leer rolls. The ratio of t e gears'issuch -5. The process of producing that the leer rolls are driven progressively faster from the intake end or hot end of l the leer toward the outlet end or cutting table end thereof. The sheet 5 is thus under a tension from the mass of molten glass 6 to the cutting table 17 where it may be divided into suitable lengths.

The table 10 and roll etween-the two under a ight tenthe sheet to buckle.

The memberlO, which is ordinarily usedfas a draw table, is in the a flattening table, and ma be formed by associating a pluralit of lin s, orby suitably training a metal s eet or an asbestos sheet about said rolls. The clamp bars 14- may or may not be used, as desired. The linear speed of thetable 9 is so controlled b the driving gears or drums 11 that-it is sllghtly faster than the periphsheet glass, consisting in drawing a sheet of lass initially in a vertical plane and then eflecting it into a substantially horizontal plane, and maintaining said sheet under tension from its time of formation until it has become set.

6. The process'of producing sheet glass, consisting in continuously drawingasheetv upwardly from a mass of molten glass, and maintaining said sheet under tensionfrom the time of its formation until it has become finally set. I

' v7. The process of reducing glass,'consisting infdrawing a .s eet upwardly from a mass of molten glass and deflecting it into a I substantially horizontal plane about a moving surface, and supporting and conveying said sheet horizontally on moving surfaces, the deflecting surface and supporting surfaces being moved at progressively increasingfspeeds from the point of formation of said sheet.

9 may be so geared though I prefer to use the roll 8 by itself for such purpose. Although the peripheral speeds of the various rotatable members lyecome progressively faster, I refer to kee the speeds down to a point w ere there I be no appreciable slippage of the sheet over said members. However, if itis desired, the various members 'may be formed from a metal such as nickel or covered with a mate-. rial such as asbestos, so that sli page or relative movement between the s eet and sheet. a 8. 'Insheet glass apparatus, rotatablt It is to be understood that the form of means for drawing a sheet of glass upwardthe invention herewith shown and described ly from a mass of molten glass and deflectis to be taken as thepreferred embodiment ingit into a substantially horizontal plane, of'the same, and that various changes in the and rotatable flatteningme'ans for receivin shape, size andarrangement of parts may said sheet after it has been deflected, .the

e resorted to without departing from the peripheral speed of said drawing means be mg relatively slower than the peripheral speed of said flattening means. a

9. In sheet glass apparatus, a rotatable member for drawing a sheet of glass u wardly from a mass of molten glass and (12+ and a flattening member for fleeting it into a substantially horizontal said sheet arranged after the drawing means, plane, a rotatable flattening member for 'rethe peri heral speed of the drawing means ceiving said sheet after ithas been deflected, bein re atively slower than the peripheral and means for driving said drawing memspec of the flattening member. ber relatively slower than said flattening 2. In sheet glass apparatus, means for member so that the said sheet. of glass will drawing a sheet upwardly from a mass oibe under tension. a

a flattening member for said 10.In sheet glass'apparatus,1a rotatable sheet ararnged after the drawing means, and roll for drawing a sheet of lass upwardly means for driving the drawing means rela-' from a mass of'molten glass laims glass apparatus, means. for drawing a sheet upwardly from a mass ofand deflecting 130 it into a substantially"horizontalplane, an endless horizontally arranged flattening table for receiving the glass after it has been deflected, and means for moving the flattening table at a relatively faster speed than the-speed of said roll.

11. In sheet glass apparatus, rotatable means for drawing a sheet of glass u wardly from a mass of molten glass and de ecting it into a substantially horizontal plane, rotatable flattening means for receiving said sheet after it has been deflected, and rotatable supporting means for receiving the glass from said flattening means, said drawmg means, flattening means and supporting means being driven at progressively increasing speeds from said drawing means to said supporting means.

12. In sheet glass apparatus, a rotatable member for drawing a sheet of glass upwardly from a mass of molten glass and deflecting it into a substantially horizontal plane, a rotatable flattening member for receivin the glass after it has been deflected, rotata le supporting members for receiving the glass from vsaid flattening member, and

means for driving said members in a manner that the peripheral speed of said members becomes progressively greater from the point of formation of said sheet.

13. In sheet glass apparatus, a rotatable roll for drawing a sheet of glass upwardly from a mass of molten glass and deflecting it into a substantially horizontal plane, an endless horizontally arranged flattening table for receiving the glass after it has been deflected, an annealing leer in proximity to said flattening table and including a plurality of supporting rolls therein, and means for driving said drawing roll, flattening table and supporting rolls in a manner that the sheet is always under a relative tension.

14. In sheet glass apparatus, a drawing member, a flattenin member and a plurality of supporting mem ers, and means fordriving said members in a manner that the surface speed thereof becomes relatively faster from the drawing member on.

Signed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas,

and State of Ohio, this 18th day of June, 1926.

JOHN L. DRAKE. 

